"The Quakers of Fayette County" continued
"One of the strictist rules of the Quakers was that no member
could take part in warfare. We all know that Joseph Mendenhall was a
prominent Quaker and such a fighter that he was called "The Fighting
Quaker." He was Captain in the Chester County militia throughout the
Revolutionary War. He had a sawmill just beyond Sandy Hill at what is
known to older residents as "Mendenhall's Dam." He son-in-law, Squire
Daniel Johnson (Note:Daniel Johnson was about 15 when the Revolution
ended), belonged to the Invalid Regiment in Philadelphia and helped
defend that city from the English. This Invalid Regiment consisted not
only of men disabled in battle but also men too young to go out into
open warfare, but under military instruction, and pressed into service
for defense.(Note: Both Joseph Mendenhall and Daniel Johnson, my fifth
and fourth great grandfathers,were supposedly buried at Sandy Hill.
There is some question about Mendenhall but Johnson is defintely there.
I have been corresponding with a very nice older lady, Mrs. Helen Rapp,
who shares these ancestors. She lives in a town about 25 miles away
from me. Friday evening she called to tell me that she, her grandson
and great-grandsons had found Daniel Johnson's grave and cleaned it up.
I stopped today after work and was amazed. The stone had apparently
been under a lot of underbrush judging by the pile near the fence behind
the grave and the stone must have been almost completely sunk into the
ground. The stone and area around it were very clean and the crudely
carved stone is very easily read. I am overjoyed! She also sent me a
list of some of the graves in Sandy Hill. I will list these later along
with the library's list of graves.)
"Although James Sidwell himself, took no part in the
Revolutionary struggle, all of his brothers, to the number of three,
fought through the campaign with conspicuous gallantry.
"Providence Preparative Meeting was organized about the same
time as Sandy Hill. It was on the road leading from Perryopolis to the
Red Lion, near the farm of Mr. William Binns, in Perry
Township.Prominent among its members were Isaac, Joseph, and Samuel
Cope, Joseph Sheppard, Jonathan Hewitt, William Griffith, Jesse Coldren,
John Shreves, John and Joseph Negus and William Nutt.
"The old stone meeting house fell into ruins and the stones were
used to erect a much smaller building on the same spot. This is used as
a shelter in time of funerals and visits to the graves.
"One history states that Mrs. Elma Cope Binns has restored
Providence Meeting House, and another that is was accomplished by a fund
donated by some of the Quaker sect, which both means the same thing.
"This graveyard is known as Red Lion and like all other Quaker
Meetings is located on a hill commanding a fine view for miles around.
When this meeitng was laid down, the records and the minutes were taken
to Salem, Ohio. It is said that this graveyard contains five hundred
Quaker graves. There was also a school house here as I have already
stated that William Miller taught here."
Next time: Center Quaker Meeting in Redstone Twp.
Beth